Rescued raptors rapidly readying for release

July 18, 2008|By John Papendick, jpapendick@aberdeennews

The two bald eagle chicks rescued last week from their almost-flooded nest on the Moreau River near Akaska are doing well. “They are very feisty and seem to be adapting well,” said Dr. Virginia Trexler-Myren, a Pierre small-animal veterinarian and licensed raptor rehabilitator. “This is just a transition period for them. We hope to soon send them to a big wildlife center somewhere that is better equipped to care for them. Eventually, the plan is to return them to the wild if all goes well, and things certainly have been going well so far.” Trexler-Myren and her staff at the All Creatures Animal Hospital have been caring for the few-months-old eagles for about a week. “We don't have the things you need to care on a long-term basis for a pair of orphaned eagles like foster mom birds or elaborate puppets to help teach them how to survive in the wild. I primarily work with illnesses and injuries when it comes to raptors. I normally work with things like broken bones, wounds and diseases.” Three agencies rescued the eagle chicks last week from a nest that was inches from being swamped because of rising lake levels. Making the rescue were employees from the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Wildlife officials say a number of boaters discovered the nest and photographed the chicks and adults. This disturbance might have led to abandonment by the adult birds, they say. Disturbing nests is dangerous for the eagles and illegal for the public. “Both state and federal laws protect nesting bald eagles from disturbance for good reason,” said Eileen Dowd Stukel, GFP wildlife diversity coordinator. “Nesting birds are quite sensitive to abandonment if frequently disturbed. Without adults for shading, young chicks can perish in the nest. Visiting nests on land can help lead predators to a nest site.” Wildlife officials continued to monitor the situation and when they saw the adults absent and the chicks becoming weaker with the absence of fresh food, they knew they had to attempt a rescue. “This rescue was unusual for the three agencies, which generally advocate leaving wildlife alone,” said GFP wildlife conservation officer Doug DeLaRoi. “These chicks had virtually no chance of surviving if left in the nest.” So officials made their move and completed the rescue and took them to Trexler-Myren. “During the first few days, we had to feed them like a momma bird would feed them,” said Trexler-Myren. “We had to cut up their food and drop it into their mouths. But now they are starting to eat on their own and tear up fish on their own like you would expect them to do. They are gaining weight, too. “They are also getting much more vocal, which is normal for bald eagles because they like to talk a lot. They are very strong. It is about all that my assistants can do to handle them. They can be pretty aggressive, even at this age. If you get close to them, they just erupt. They are feisty and try to bite you with those big hooked beaks. These guys are a handful for us, that is for sure.” The eagles are almost done growing the feathers they need for flight. “Their plumage is almost completely in,” she said. “So far, knock on wood, everything seems to be going well. So right now, the prognosis for getting back into the wild is very good.” The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department contributed to this story.